Volatile anaesthetics

Fluosilicic acid (see Fluorides) Fluroxene (see Anaesthetics, volatile) Formaldehyde... 

Chloroform is a potent volatile anaesthetic, but is little used due to its potential hepato-toxicity. It is used principally for the manufacture of chlorofluorohydrocarbon refrigerants ( Arctons and Freons ) and certain polymers. 

Two methods of anaesthesia are currently in use, the application of inhaled gaseous or volatile anaesthetics such as halothane, sevoflurane and isoflurane to maintain a level of anaesthesia. Older compounds in this category include nitrous oxide and chloroform. 

General anaesthetics are administered for many surgical procedures where the patient is likely to undergo a severely painful procedure, and complete unconsciousness and immobility is required for the surgety to be performed. The most commonly used volatile anaesthetics are halothane, isoflurane and sevoflurane. Nitrous oxide is also commonly used, particularly during... 

Mihic SJ, Ye Q, Wick MJ et al (1997) Sites of alcohol and volatile anaesthetic action on GABAAand glycine receptors. Nature 389 385-389... 

Using Volatile Anaesthetic Agents. Dr. P. Fenton, Update in Anaesthesia, Practical Procedures, Issue 5,1995, http //www.nda.ox.ac.uk/wfsa/html/u05/u05 007.htm... 

Inhalation (IH) The administration of volatile gases and vapours, followed by drug absorption in the lungs or nasal mucosa. Examples include general anaesthetics like nitrous oxide, nicotine from the tar droplets in tobacco smoke, cannabinoids from cannabis leaf smoke and various opiates from burning opium resin. 

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). 1976. IARC monographs on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to man cadmium, nickel, some epoxides, miscellaneous industrial chemicals and general considerations on volatile anaesthetics. Volume 11. World Health Organization, IARC, Lyon, France. 306 pp. 

Spray Inhalation - Vaporization of Volatile Anaesthetic Agents and Medication... 

High or low lung volume Volatile anaesthetic agents... 

Acute neurological effects are probably caused by alcohol dissolving in the plasma membrane and increasing huidity of membranes (similar to the action of the volatile anaesthetics) which affects ion channels and receptors, particularly neurotransmitter receptors. Three proposed biochemical explanations for effects of ethanol are ... 

Desflurane is a rapid-acting, volatile, liquid anaesthetic. Hov/ever, compared v/ith isoflurane, it has a lower potency. Desflurane is not used for the induction of anaesthesia, as it is irritant to the upper respiratory tract leading to cough, apnoea, laryngospasm and increased secretions. 

A clinically useful action of a2-agonists is their ability to reduce the requirements for other anaesthetic agents during anaesthesia. In control mice, non-sedative doses of dexmedetomidine reduced the concentrations of the volatile anaesthetic, halothane, to induce anaesthesia by 30% (Lakhlani et al. 1997). This anaesthetic-sparing effect of a2-agonists was completely abolished in a2A-D79N mice. 

Atropine and other drugs from this group has been a standard preoperative adjuvant therapy in general anesthesia since they inhibit the reflex increase of bronchial secretion due to mechanical irritation (intubation) and volatile anaesthetics. 

Hydrogen bond involving an acidic hydrogen atom borne by a fluorine-substituted or halogen-substituted carbon seems to contribute to the activity and the selectivity of volatile fluorinated anaesthetics (Table 2). These molecules, although non-functional, can bind stereoselectively with protein targets of the central nervous system [33,34]. 

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